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PURPOSE We compared a 3-month diabetes self-management education (DSME) program followed by a 12-month peer support intervention with a 3-month DSME program alone in terms of initial and sustained improvements in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Secondary outcomes were risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes distress, and social support. METHODS We randomized 106 community-dwelling African American adults with type 2 diabetes to a 3-month DSME program followed by 12 months of weekly group sessions and supplementary telephone support delivered by peer leaders or to a 3-month DSME program with no follow-up peer support. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 3, 9, and 15 months. RESULTS No changes in HbA1c were observed at 3 months or at 15 months for either group. The peer support group either sustained improvement in key CVD risk factors or stayed the same while the control group worsened at 15 months. At 15 months, the peer-support group had significantly lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (−15 mg/dL, P = .03), systolic blood pressure (−10 mm Hg, P = .01), diastolic blood pressure (−8.3 mm Hg, P = .001), and body mass index (−0.8 kg/m2, P = .032) than the DSME-alone group. CONCLUSIONS In this population of African American adults, an initial DSME program, whether or not followed by 12 months of peer support, had no effect on glycemic control. Participants in the peer-support arm of the trial did, however, experience significant improvements in some CVD risk factors or stay approximately the same while the control group declined.

PURPOSE It is unclear whether peer coaching is effective in minority populations living with diabetes in hard-to-reach, under-resourced areas such as the rural South. We examined the effect of an innovative peer-coaching intervention plus brief education vs brief education alone on diabetes outcomes. METHODS This was a community-engaged, cluster-randomized, controlled trial with primary care practices and their surrounding communities serving as clusters. The trial enrolled 424 participants, with 360 completing baseline and follow-up data collection (84.9% retention). The primary outcomes were change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure (BP), low density lipopro- tein cholesterol (LDL-C), body mass index (BMI), and quality of life, with diabetes distress and patient activation as secondary outcomes. Peer coaches were trained for 2 days in community settings; the training emphasized motivational inter- viewing skills, diabetes basics, and goal setting. All participants received a 1-hour diabetes education class and a personalized diabetes report card at baseline. Intervention arm participants were also paired with peer coaches; the protocol called for telephone interactions weekly for the first 8 weeks, then monthly for a total of 10 months. RESULTS Due to real-world constraints, follow-up was protracted, and interven- tion effects varied over time. The analysis that included the 68% of participants followed up by 15 months showed only a significant increase in patient activation in the intervention group. The analysis that included all participants who eventu- ally completed follow-up revealed that intervention arm participants had signifi - cant differences in changes in systolic BP (P = .047), BMI (P = .02), quality of life (P = .003), diabetes distress (P = .004), and patient activation (P = .03), but not in HbA1c (P = .14) or LDL-C (P = .97). CONCLUSION Telephone-delivered peer coaching holds promise to improve health for individuals with diabetes living in under-resourced areas.